Persons exercising by running, jogging and walking frequently carry items in their hands. The item may be elongated as a stick or rod, a weighted device to provide additional stress on the body, a device to serve as a pacifier, or a device to increase balance. The applicant is aware of the following references directed to devices to attain at least one of these goals or towards devices used in other types of exercises:
______________________________________ Patent No. Patentee ______________________________________ 1,962,971 Schipper 3,129,939 Stock 3,557,776 Boots 4,218,057 Wilson 4,240,624 Wilson 4,278,248 Kifferstein 4,351,526 Schwartz 4,610,447 Byrd 4,659,076 Valentine et al French 937,658 Faggi French 1,112,170 Benassy ______________________________________
Some of these items are resilient and compressible in order to exercise the hand and forearm muscle. The Boots reference is a pacifier to relieve nervous energy by stroking the thumb in a groove formed in the device. The handbar of Valentine et al also has a thumb placement portion and provides visual and tactile stimulation to a runner. The devices of Wilson, Kifferstein and Schwartz are all weighted devices. The application of handweights is detrimental to integrated body movement. Since the specific purpose of said weights is the exercising of the hand, forearm, arm and shoulder muscle groups, the use of oxygen and energy in this manner reduces the force which could otherwise be utilized in propulsion. Furthermore, weights disrupt the fluidity of stroke by both arms and legs necessary in any aerobic activity requiring steady repetitive movement associated with efficient rhythm. The two French references are for devices contoured to fit the fingers.
While these references disclose devices which, to some extent, assist a person in improving their locomotion such as running, jogging or walking, the devices are either large, heavy or have other features which are not conducive nor designed to be an extended force of kinetic forearm power.